Hannah E Goldstein, Justin A Neira, Matei Banu, Philipp R Aldana, Bruno P Braga, Douglas L Brockmeyer, Michael L DiLuna, Daniel H Fulkerson, Todd C Hankinson, Andrew H Jea, Sean M Lew, David D Limbrick, Jonathan Martin, Joshua M Pahys, Luis F Rodriguez, Curtis J Rozzelle, Gerald F Tuite, Nicholas M Wetjen, Richard C E Anderson
OBJECTIVE The long-term effects of surgical fusion on the growing subaxial cervical spine are largely unknown. Recent cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that there is continued growth of the cervical spine through the teenage years. The purpose of this multicenter study was to determine the effects of rigid instrumentation and fusion on the growing subaxial cervical spine by investigating vertical growth, cervical alignment, cervical curvature, and adjacent-segment instability over time. METHODS A total of 15 centers participated in this multi-institutional retrospective study...
April 20, 2018: Journal of Neurosurgery. Pediatrics